Slaying suspect’s DNA is sought

Friday

Mar 1, 2013 at 6:00 AM

By Gary V. Murray TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Prosecutors are seeking a DNA sample from a Spencer man charged with murdering his wifeís twin sister by asphyxiation.

Assistant District Attorney Brett F. Dillon filed a motion Thursday in Worcester Superior Court for a court order compelling Steven D. West, 21, of 14-1/2 Pleasant St., Spencer, to provide a sample of his blood or saliva for serological and scientific testing and comparison with evidence recovered during the police investigation into the Oct. 10 death of 20-year-old Alyssa A. Haden.

Ms. Haden shared an apartment with Mr. West, his wife, Caitlin West, and their child. Ms. Haden was found dead in the second-floor apartment by her brother, Donald Haden III, after she failed to show up for work as a cashier at Price Chopper supermarket.

Prosecutors have said Ms. Haden died from compression to the face, neck and chest. She also had a small wound on her neck, according to court documents.

Judge James R. Lemire scheduled a March 8 hearing on Mr. Dillonís motion at the request of the prosecutor and John H. LaChance, Mr. Westís lawyer. Mr. West, who was indicted Dec. 20 on a murder charge, remains in custody without bail.

Mr. Dillon said in an affidavit accompanying his motion that his office had received notice from the state police crime laboratory that swabs were taken by crime scene investigators for the possible recovery of DNA and that blood was detected on various items and swabs that were gathered into evidence.

Crime scene reports from the lab state that screening tests for the presence of blood were positive on several items, including a red-brown stain on a living room couch in the apartment, a similar stain on a body pillow recovered in the bedroom where Ms. Hadenís body was found, a nail file found under the bed in that room, a steak knife taken from a kitchen drawer and a pair of scissors discovered under the sink in the bathroom.

A swab was taken from Ms. Hadenís neck for the potential recovery of DNA and several items of clothing belonging to Mr. West were also seized, according to the reports.

Police wrote in court documents that Ms. Hadenís body had ďlividity inconsistent with the positionĒ in which it was found, an indication that the body had possibly been moved. Lividity refers to the collection of coagulated blood in a particular area of a body.

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